Which Detroit Tigers are next for the Baseball Hall of Fame? Here are 5 candidates

Alan Trammell, now a special assistant to the Detroit Tigers general manager, reacts after his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017 in Orlando.
George Sipple, Detroit Free Press

Here is a look at the next five possible (and active) players who have played for the Tigers to enter the Hall of Fame:

1. Miguel Cabrera: Cabrera could retire tomorrow and he would be in the Hall of Fame, but that is not expected. What is expected is Cabrera will rebound from his career-worst season in 2017 and show the same kind of talent that has made him regarded as a Top 5 right-handed hitter of all-time. Cabrera is under contract with the Tigers through 2023 and isn’t going anywhere for the time being. He won a Triple Crown and is already one of baseball’s best ever.

2. Justin Verlander: Verlander has to be included because if he makes it to Cooperstown as expected, he will be inducted as a Tiger. Based on his past three seasons in which he’s posted a 3.24 ERA – especially his strong finish to last season with the Astros – Verlander has plenty left in the tank and will ultimately be recognized as the best righty starting pitcher of this decade. Though his cumulative numbers will fall short of those in the past, his performance is reflective of a true workhorse in this era.

3. Ian Kinsler: For the time being, Kinsler is still with the Tigers. He likely will be traded this off-season – perhaps as soon as this week’s Winter Meetings – and if he did reach Cooperstown, he likely wouldn’t wear a Tigers cap in, but he has a good enough track record for there to be a cursory chance. Kinsler has compiled 55 Wins Above Replacement in his career and it wouldn’t surprise if he kept up his high-level play for a couple more seasons. If he did, his career would mirror that of Chase Utley’s, which ultimately will probably qualify for the Hall of Very Good.

4. Michael Fulmer: After Cabrera and Verlander are a number of the longest of long-shots, players with potential but still entirely too far away to predict any sort of Hall of Fame candidacy. It begins with Fulmer, who has had about as an impressive start to his career as any. In 2016, he won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Last season, he pitched at a high level until his right elbow failed him. Though the Tigers expect him to completely bounce back, he just had arm surgery. If he does and stays healthy, it’s not hard to forecast a long-term ace, which will put him on the right track.

5. J.D. Martinez: Martinez is in line for a mega free agent payday and if his career ever finds the kind of consistency to put him in Hall of Fame contention, it likely will be largely with the team that gives him a long-term contract. Crazier things have happened than a player with Martinez’s career arc and hitting ability developing such a consistency, but there’s still a ways to go before putting him in a Hall of Fame breath. To do so, he’d need to stay healthy and keep up his pace from the past few seasons for the better part of the next decade. Given he’s nearing his 30th birthday, that seems unlikely.